"This can leave moms with resume 'gaps' once they begin looking for new jobs," the Pregnancy Pause website states.

"Moms often avoid discussing the gap, which can have potential employers guessing and may cause qualified moms to be overlooked," they add.

"Some studies have shown that mothers who explain these gaps clearly are less likely to be passed over for opportunities."

LISTEN: How long should you go on Maternity leave? Mamamia Out Loud, a podcast from our sister site Mamamia, discusses. (Post continues below.)

In countries like Australia, employees are entitled to 12 months of unpaid parental leave and can also request an additional 12 months of leave, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

If you don't return to your current workplace, or you take some time off work, what should you write down for your new job hunt?

HR Advisor, Nicolle Stuart, says you should put maternity leave down on your resume in a way that you feel comfortable with.

"I have had people be really creative and include a short list of responsibilities associated with being a mom for example—chauffeur, event planner, chef," she said.

"Pregnancy Pause is an interesting way to capture your maternity leave. It's all personal preference, resumes need to reflect how you want to present yourself professionally and that means something different to different people."

This post originally appeared on Mamamia, Spring.St's Australian sister site. You can read it here.